Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok so i was at a local reptile show in orlando florida and was looking at getting a new red tail boa when i saw this huge moniter. he was scratching at the side of the glass and i said to my friend "he looks mean" the owner of him heard me and said "nah he just wants his head rubbed" so he reached in his cage and scratched his head and he closed his eyes and just sat there. thats what sold me to get a black thoat. got a new red tail boa as well =)
anyway so now i have a baby black throat, hes about 5-6 inchs and his tail is about 4-5inches in an old 20 long that i had laying around, put some repti bark in it for now (had an extra bag for next time i clean my dumerils boa's tank out) bought a red light basking bulb(100 watt i think...) which my thermo reads at around 117ish degrees and like 85ish on the cooler side. i had this rock like thing under the heatlamp but it got extremly hot where i couldnt pick it up so i thought that it would be to hot for him and i took it out. fed him today a little mouse (hopper i think it would be called) he had fur but was really small and he ran around the cage trying to get it but he finally got it and its all gone now.

so here are my questions
-should i change the substrate?
-how often and what do i feed it?
-can i handle him after he eats or is it like snakes where i should wait a day or so?
-can I handle them to much or how often should i?
-does tail wacking hurt? lol jk
-are temps right?
-whats a good caresheet to follow?

i love reptiles, have a 5 foot dumerils boa, 3 ft ball python. i have the time space, and money to properly care for him just need to know how. any help or pointers would be nice, thanks all in advance

check out www.proexotics.com, look at thier caresheet, its the best of any care sheet ive seen.

>>-should i change the substrate?

You can if you like, I have used coco bedding, dirt, or cypress mulch.

>>-how often and what do i feed it?

A young monitor can eat one or more times a day. They will digest the food and use it up quickly for growing. Once older they slow down in growth and may eat every other day or as needed.

Foods to offer would be whole prey items (rodents, chicks), and/or insects (insects must be dusted with suppliments).

>>-can i handle him after he eats or is it like snakes where i should wait a day or so?

If handled to soon after they eat you will most likely either be crapped on or thrown up on.

>>-can I handle them to much or how often should i?

At first I always let my monitors settle in to the surroundings before handling. Then I start out slow letting them get used to me. When young they tend to see us as something that is trying to eat them. If you go slow and take your time it is less likely to be stressed.

>>-does tail wacking hurt? lol jk

Yeah it does especially across the face.

>>-are temps right?

117ish is that the ambient temperature? If so thats really high. What you want is a basking surface temp of 130-150. Then a gradient of 90-70's or so.

>>-whats a good caresheet to follow?

If your new to monitors check this link outFaqs